Chapter 295: The Sacred Sakura and Omikuji
After passing through the final torii gate and rounding a corner, the Grand Narukami Shrine bloomed into view, nestled amidst layers upon layers of ethereal cherry blossom trees.
The most arresting sight was the Sacred Sakura, a colossal, ancient tree standing sentinel behind the main shrine. Even partially obscured by the elegant architecture, its sheer scale was stunning. It towered into the clouds, its branches thick with blossoms, forming a massive pink canopy that bathed the entire mountain peak in a sacred, romantic glow.
A gentle breeze whispered through the branches, and a flurry of pink petals drifted down from on high, a dreamlike rain that shimmered in the sunlight. They danced in the air before settling softly upon the ground, creating a plush, vibrant carpet.
As they stepped onto this path of fallen blossoms, it felt as though they had crossed the threshold into a fairy tale, a world steeped in the quiet magic of nature.
"Whoa! It's so beautiful!" the children from the Detective Boys chorused, their eyes wide with wonder.
Sonoko instinctively grabbed her best friend's hand, her voice buzzing with excitement. "Ran, I can't believe it! I never imagined the Grand Narukami Shrine would be built on water!"
"Mm-hmm," Ran Mouri nodded, her own gaze sweeping over the serene landscape. "And to think there's a pool all the way up here on the mountain. The water is so clear."
She cautiously approached the water's edge and peered in. While it resembled a deep pool, she quickly discovered the water was deceptively shallow; the deepest part wouldn't even reach an adult's waist. It posed no danger, even to elementary school students. With that assurance, she relaxed, allowing the already impatient Detective Boys to scamper off and play by the shore.
"So? My little slice of scenery is quite lovely, isn't it?" A teasing voice cut through the air. Yae Miko had glided up beside Sonoko, a sly smile playing on her lips. "I trust it's not so lovely that you've been moved to tear it down, little sister?"
A sheepish grin spread across Sonoko's face.
While the others were lost in the magnificent view, Heiji Hattori and Conan Edogawa quickly shook off their initial awe. The beautiful scenery was a welcome surprise, but they hadn't forgotten the true purpose of their visit.
Conan took the lead, approaching the shrine maiden with his most innocent expression. "Big Sister Miko, do you know where the Kamisato brothers are? We have something we need to ask them. Could you please take us to them?"
"Oh, how unfortunate," Yae Miko said, her tone dripping with feigned regret as she tapped a finger to her chin. "Those two children from the Kamisato Clan are currently in a meeting with Ei. I'm afraid it might be a while before you can see them."
Seeing the undisguised disappointment cloud the faces of the two young detectives, she let out a soft chuckle. "Don't be in such a rush, you two," she consoled them kindly. "Relax. Enjoy the scenery. Perhaps you could draw an omikuji to see what fortune the day holds for you. As soon as their discussion is over, I promise you'll be the first to know. How does that sound?"
With no other option, they could only nod and follow Yae Miko as she led them officially into the Grand Narukami Shrine's main grounds.
"Wow! Up close, this Sacred Sakura is even more spectacular!" Sonoko gasped, craning her neck to take it all in. A flicker of confusion crossed her face. "It's just… why is the trunk shaped like a fox? Can trees really grow like that?"
"What's so strange about it?" Yae Miko replied with an indifferent, almost lazy smile. "This is my shrine. It's only natural that its most prominent feature would grow into a shape that I find pleasing."
Ran Mouri blinked. "...Is, is that so."
Conan's eye twitched. 'It has to be artificially cultivated to look like this, right?'he thought, his skepticism warring with the impossible sights he was witnessing.'Then again, the Teyvat Organization always has some kind of bizarre reagent or potion on hand. Something like this is probably well within their capabilities.'
Later, upon hearing that the omikuji fortune slips at this shrine were said to be remarkably effective, the entire group decided to try their luck.
This included Conan, even as he muttered under his breath that such things were mere superstition and not the least bit accurate. But the memory of Mona's ridiculously precise astrological reading lingered in his mind, and with a bit of goading from Heiji, he grudgingly drew a slip of paper.
And then…
Conan stared at the bold characters printed on the delicate paper—"Great Misfortune"—and a deep sense of conflict washed over him.
'So… is this thing accurate or not?!'
To his immense frustration, everyone else drew at least a "Small Blessing." Natsume, to no one's real surprise, had even drawn a "Great Blessing," a fact that made Sonoko burn with a friendly, theatrical envy.
While the group was busy taking photos under the magnificent boughs of the Sacred Sakura, a shrine maiden quietly approached Heiji Hattori. She informed him that the Head of the Kamisato Clan had concluded his business and was now ready to meet with them.
Without a moment's hesitation, Heiji and Conan excused themselves and followed the maiden.
Unfortunately for them, the meeting yielded almost nothing.
This time, not even Conan's well-practiced cute-child act could make a dent. They failed to pry any useful information from their host. In fact, faced with Kamisato Ayato's perpetually gentle, unreadable smile, Heiji nearly blurted out the name of the very suspect he had been investigating, only stopping when Conan shot him a sharp, timely look.
On the way back to the Sacred Sakura, Heiji Hattori's expression was grim. "Tsk," he clicked his tongue in frustration. "That Head of the Kamisato Clan is a tough nut to crack. Kudo, do you think he knows which family is behind the attack?"
Conan recalled the placid, almost serene expression on Ayato's face when they had broached the subject. He nodded, his own features set in a serious line. "He knows. And he's almost certainly made his own arrangements already. Otherwise, with the competition happening tonight, there's no way he'd be sitting here so calmly if he wasn't completely prepared."
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